AUTUMN IS IN THE AIR, OR SO I AM TOLD – PART 2

Our Wine Ambassador, Dave Lofstrom is still confused about the weather, but is excited about autumn eating.

As the weather gets cooler and there is a crisp breeze in the air, nothing feels quite as good as a hearty meal and a tasty red wine to match. Mourvedre and Syrah are two great choices.

Mourvedre is a natural autumn wine. It often has a lovely balance of fruit and earth. The tannins found in Mourvedre make it a great pairing for venison and rabbit and a surprisingly good match to meatier birds, like duck, goose, and pheasant. Root vegetables and mushrooms are both typical fall fare and certainly do well with Mourvedre. If you’re thinking about heartier stews or ragus, you would not go wrong with Mourvedre. Bob makes a great Mourvedre from the Ibarra-Young Vineyard. This wine has a nice balance of fruit with earthy flavors and fantastic herbal aromatics. This small production red would be a great addition to any autumn table.

I would be remiss to talk about autumn wines and not mention Syrah. Syrah is the perfect pairing for all manner of autumn dishes. Whether it’s a simple stew or a something big and bold like elk, boar, or venison, Syrah is a natural choice. A great balance of earth, fruit, tannin, and acid make it a natural partner for savory, hearty autumn classics. The 2010 Qupé Bien Nacido Syrah (91 points from Robert Parker) or 2008 Qupé Bien Nacido Hillside Estate Syrah (94 points from Vinous) would be at home on any table this season.

Even though it still feels like summer to this former Minnesotan, I am excited to dive into autumn and have some tasty food with great wines to match. Happy autumn eating!